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53
Aug 13, 2023
08/23
Aug 13, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 53
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Jesus found respite, relief, and empowerment in prayer, and we can, too. His miracles, preaching, teaching, and healing were often punctuated by intervals of prayer. Jesus often withdrew from even his closest friends to spend substantial amounts of time praying. Sometimes he shared these moments with a few others, but usually, they were spent in solitude. These were personal focused times apart with God, in addition to the ongoing constant communion Paul referenced in First Thessalonians 5:17,...
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Heaven,...
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60
Aug 6, 2023
08/23
Aug 6, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 60
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God has provided more than enough food for everyone in the world to have plenty every day, and yet world hunger is a persistent issue. It doesn’t matter how much food is available if those who control the distribution refuse to allow it to be shared fairly. What if we think about sharing the world’s food resources as being sacramental, perhaps as an extension of the Sacrament of Holy Communion? World hunger is, and never ceases to be, a spiritual issue. It o nly becomes political when...
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Heaven,...
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45
Aug 5, 2023
08/23
Aug 5, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 45
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Sower, tares, mustard seed, leaven, hidden treasure, pearl, net, scribe – What do these have in common? Each is one of eight parables presented in succession in Matthew 13. These, along with all the other parables of Jesus, are short figurative analogies similar to fables, which, like the lengthy allegories and legends throughout the Old Testament, are intended to communicate timeless spiritual messages. The enduring nature of Biblical teachings is owing in general to their inspiration by...
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Heaven,...
23
23
Jul 24, 2023
07/23
Jul 24, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 23
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God loves everyone and wants everyone to live together in peace and harmony. Our part is to reflect God’s kindness. If there is any judging to do, God will do the judging. If there is any sorting to do, God will do the sorting. No matter what we think of ourselves or others, God’s expectation is that we will be respectful and cooperative, loving others as Christ has loved us. Everyone is a child of God. Everyone has a place in God’s world. God’s own Spirit communicates her love to us...
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Heaven,...
39
39
Jul 17, 2023
07/23
Jul 17, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 39
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Jesus demonstrated what it means to sow seeds of kindness everywhere he went. His criticisms were reserved for those who worked against kindness. But even those criticisms were intended to protect the vulnerable while persuading the powerful to be more kind. There is a view of Scripture that is harsh and condemning, but this is not the view of Jesus. Jesus’ view is kind, gentle, and forgiving. There is a view of Christian faith that expects large numbers, that quantifies spirituality, that...
Topics: Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Heaven, Methodist, 7th...
22
22
Jul 9, 2023
07/23
Jul 9, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 22
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Acceptance of Jesus’ Great Invitation, “Come unto me,” is not defined by the books we carry, the verses we quote, or the organizations we join, but by the way we love. Normalization of prolific mass shootings and protected gun violence, rollback of women’s rights, violent rhetoric against our LGBTQ community, and racist adjudication of the death penalty are among the most recent setbacks for humanity in general and our nation in particular. As wearisome as our resistance may sometimes...
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Methodist,...
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39
Jul 2, 2023
07/23
Jul 2, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 39
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Here again, we are confronted with the kindness of the New Testament juxtaposed with the harshness of the Old Testament. Through the dichotomy between the two, we recognize the many vast differences between how people think of God and how Jesus reveals God. One of the greatest differences is what people think God expects of us versus what God actually expects of us. This dichotomy is not only between the Testaments but also within the Old Testament, as prophets and psalmists highlight the...
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Heaven,...
22
22
Jun 25, 2023
06/23
Jun 25, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 22
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We are invited to love our Maker, humanity, and all creation the way our Creator loves everything and everyone God ever made. The New Testament of Christ is a covenant of redemption and love, with forgiveness at the very heart of its content. The more we implement the kindness and love, and unity of Jesus in the New Testament, the more the harshness and fear, and fracturing of the Old Testament will be dissipated. God loves us. God places a very high value on each and every one of us. God wants...
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Heaven,...
23
23
Jun 18, 2023
06/23
Jun 18, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 23
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Today is Father’s Day, and perhaps should be celebrated as a form of “Parent’s Day” since Mother’s Day is also celebrated as the “Festival of the Christian Home.” In today’s readings, Sarah and Abraham were informed, in style somewhat reflected thousands of years later by the Annunciation, that, unlikely as it seemed, they were to become parents. The Bible invites us to think of God in part as our Heavenly Parent. Jesus taught us to pray to “Our Father which art in heaven.”...
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Heaven,...
22
22
Jun 11, 2023
06/23
Jun 11, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 22
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We and all people are offered the same personal invitation of Christ as Matthew and others in the Bible, “Follow me.” It isn’t possible for us to follow Jesus physically, but his first followers only were able to do so at the very beginning of their discipleship. Most of their lives were spent following Jesus spiritually, just like we are invited to do. We feel the Holy Spirit moving within and among us. Her love stirs our hearts, drawing us ever more deeply into our relationship with...
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Heaven,...
39
39
Jun 4, 2023
06/23
Jun 4, 2023
by
William. H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 39
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Today is observed as Trinity Sunday throughout much of Western Christianity, celebrating the unity expressed through the doctrine of the Trinity. Today is also observed as Peace with Justice Sunday across The United Methodist Church. A reminder in an article, “What is Peace with Justice Sunday?” on the denominational website, says, “Our Social Principles call us to love our enemies, seek justice, and serve as reconcilers of conflict.” Inclusiveness is about justice, and justice is...
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Heaven,...
31
31
May 28, 2023
05/23
May 28, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 31
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The first empowerment of the Holy Ghost specified by Jesus after the Resurrection is the power to forgive sins. Paul further addressed in his writings the additional powers to minister spiritual gifts and to bear spiritual fruits. Together, these powers enable us to learn how to keep the commandment of Jesus, to love others as Christ has loved us, and to serve the world in the ministry of God’s unconditional, universal forgiveness and love. God’s dream always was to pour out the Holy...
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Pentecost, Holy...
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27
May 21, 2023
05/23
May 21, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 27
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We celebrate the Ascension of Jesus as the completion of his transformation from the One in whom dwelt “all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” to the One who “filleth all in all.” But he didn’t leave us behind. Christ remains within and among us through the Holy Spirit, and includes us all in the Church Universal, “which is his body, the fullness of [the One] that filleth all in all."
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Religion, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Heaven,...
27
27
May 14, 2023
05/23
May 14, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 27
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The motherly attributes of God as well as the godly attributes of motherly women, are highlighted by the Mother’s Day spirit. Pope John Paul I, acknowledging the traditional patriarchal references to God as Father, added, “Even more, God is our Mother.” Motherhood is even more spiritual than it is biological. We do greatly honor and are so very grateful for our biological mothers. We also honor all the women who manifest the motherly spirit whether or not they are biological mothers....
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Mother's Day, 6th Sunday...
39
39
May 8, 2023
05/23
May 8, 2023
by
William H. Lawson, Jr.
texts
eye 39
favorite 0
comment 0
A Place for All Y’all I recently had a dream about a great banquet table around which people of all the different religions in the world were gathered in groups according to their various faith communities. Each congregation had brought the sacred foods of their religion to this common table. For example, the Christians brought the bread. The wine or grape juice was furnished for all by the unseen Host. Manuscript of the sermon preached by Rev. Bill Lawson on May 7, 2023, at Briensburg UMC...
Topics: Bill Lawson, Briensburg, Christian, Sermon, Inclusive, Lectionary, Bible, Acts 7:55-60, Psalm...
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0.0
Jul 4, 2022
07/22
Jul 4, 2022
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